jones



(No Model.)-

A. P. SLJONES.

HARMONICA.

Patented May 17, 1 887.

1 1 11111144 4 Uhrrblnrfuvr LLLL IFH Jnvanfar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE P. S. JONES, OF DYMGHUROH, COUNTY OF KENT, ENGLAND.

HARMONICA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,970, dated May 17 1887. Application filed February 21, 1387. Serial No. 228,297. (No model.) Patented in England June 8, 1886, No. 7,687.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, AMBROSE PAGE STOAKES JONES, of Dymchurch, in the county of Kent, in England, have invented a new and useful Improved Harmonica, (for which I have obtained a patent in England, No. 7,687, dated June 8, 1886,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in a musical instrument adapted to be played either by hand on a key-board or mechanically, and in which the notes or tones are produced by the vibration of bell-shaped sounders.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which show an instrument embodying my invention, Figure 1 is an interior diagram or elevational viewof the instrument. Fig. 2 is a plan view showingpartly the mechanism by which the keys operate the sounders. Fig. 3 is a side sectional elevation showing the mechanism more completely. Fig. 4 is a detail section showing a method of mounting the sounders by which space is economized, but which is preferably employed only for the sounders constituting the lower notes.

B are bell-shaped sounders of glass, china, porcelain, or metal. There may be any number of these, according to the range of the illstrument, and they may be arranged in gradations of tones or half-tones, as desired. The

. sounders are supported on columns I fixed to the sounding-boards O in such a manner that a portion of the edges of the sounders is brought into close proximity with one or more revolving belts, I-I H so that these may be pressed against any one or more of the sounders by the action of mechanism operated by mechanical means or by hand through the respective key or keys E of the key-board. For this purpose each key-lever either carries a roller, 6, or operates such a roller through intermediate mechanism. On depressing the key the respective roller is either raised or depressed, as the case may be, and presses the belt outward onto the respective sounder, causing the sounder to be rubbed by the belt, so as to emit a sound. The belts are preferably made of rubber, and their action is improved by moistening their surface with water. For this purpose a device, M, consisting of a water-tank containing a revolvingdrum, is so arranged near each belt that water is transferred by the drum to the belt as it passes over the tan When many sounders are used, they may all or some of them be arranged as shown in Fig. 4 and on the left of Fig. 1.

A is a revolving shaft 011 which a shoulder, a, is formed. Below this shoulder the shaft A is provided with a screw-thread for a suitable distance, the sounders being fixed at suitable distances along the shaft between nuts 0 O. A damper or Washer, c, of non-resonant material-such as cloth or rubber-may be placed between each. The rollers 0 may in this case be arranged 011 the key-levers E, so as to press the belt K upward against the edges of the sounders. The belt K is likewise caused to revolve and is provided with a moistening device, L. When both methods of mounting are used in the same instrument, the last-mentioned method is preferably used for the bass and lower notes. To prevent the belts-H H K from touching more sounders than those for which keys are depressed, stoprods N are arranged between the sounders, so that only a sufficient portion of the'belt is de fiected to operate the respective sounder.

It is understood that the key-levers may be so shaped as to be operated by a revolving pin, cylinder, or other mechanical means. Such an instrument may be operated by pedals D D or by hand through a suitable crank.

What I claim is-- 1. In musical instruments, a series of sound ers, B, in combination with a belt, rollers e, for deflecting said belt, and stop-rods N, for limiting the portion of belt deflected.

2. The combination of a series of sounders, B, with a belt adapted to revolve, rollers e, and key-levers E, operating said rollers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of shaft A, adapted to revolve, and a series of sounders, B, fixed on said shaft, with belt K, rollers e, and key-levers E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of sounding-boards O and a series of sounders, B, fixed to columns P, mounted. obliquely on said boards, with a belt or belts, H H, adapted to revolve rollers e, and key-levers E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMBR-QSE P. S. JONES. Witnesses:

W. WARDLE, LEO H. BROWN. 

